In 2007, SpongeBob went to Atlantis. The TV special gave us a musical road trip with David Bowie. The video game tie-in gave us bus repairs, Pokémon Snap knockoffs, and Squidward as a literal weapon.
SpongeBob SquarePants: Atlantis SquarePantis (PS2, 2007) is one of the strangest licensed games Nickelodeon ever pushed out.. part rhythm game, part rail shooter, part quick-time-event simulator. It’s not the worst SpongeBob game, but it’s the moment SpongeBob tie-ins went from cult classics like Battle for Bikini Bottom to disposable shovelware.
In this deep dive, I’ll break down all 14 levels, compare the game to the TV special, and explore how Atlantis SquarePantis fits into the decline of SpongeBob games and late PS2-era licensed shovelware.
If you enjoy these kinds of forgotten tie-ins, make sure to subscribe for more. And let me know in the comments: what other licensed disasters or hidden gems should I cover next?
Timestamps:
00:00: Introduction
00:59: The Episode & Context
05:26: Gameplay & Level Breakdown
10:15: The Good vs. The Bad
15:23: Legacy & Reception
18:11: Conclusion & Outro